POPULAR HONOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10736, 6 November 1928, Page 5

POPULAR HONOR.

—: X BARONY FOR ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. GENERAL SATISFACTION IN BRITAIN. fpr-oien Official Wireless.! RUGBY, Nov. 4. The King has approved that the dignity of 'a barony be conferred upon the Most Reverend and Honorable Randall Davidson, Lord Archbishop of Canterbury,; Primate of all England, on the occasion of his resignation. The retiring archbishop will thus retain a- seat in the House of Lords, which lie has occupied as a spiritual fieer by virtue of his ecclesiastical office. He has always made valuable contributions to debates in the Upper House upon church and social matters. This is the first occasion on which any archbishop has become a temporal peer. Archbishops of Canterbury, however,- have generally died in office. This was the case with Dr. Davidson’s immediate predecessors in the archbishopric, Dr. Tait, Dr. Benson, and Dr. Temple. A national tribute to Dr Davidson is to be paid on his retirement when the fund subscribed from every part of Britain and the Empire is to be handed, over to him,. He will deliver 'his' farewell address in the Canterbury' Cathedral to-morrow night, and it will be relayed by all stations oT the British Broadcasting Corporation His successor will be Dr Cosmo Gordon Lang, Archbishop of York, and his place is to be tilled by Dr Temple, the present Bishop of Manchester. (British Ofiioial Wireless.! RUGBY, Nov. 3. General satisfaction at tho conferment by the King of a barony upon the Archbishop of Canterbury is reflected in to-day’s press comment The honor is obviously. intended to ensure that after the archbishop’s re tirement the country and the House of Lords will still retain his services as a distinguished statesman of long experience. The fact that this has been achieved by the conferment of a barony, which is the lowest rank carrying with it a seat in the second chamber, is generally attributed to the expressed desire of the archbishop himself. He lias no lien- to inherit his. title Although he already has a, title, being a Knight of the Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Dr. Davidson has never used the prefix “Sir.” or Mrs. Davidson that of “Lady.”

REASON FOR RESIGNATION. TOO OLD AT 81. (British Official Wireless.! RUGBY. Nov. 3. The Archbishop in a recent speech disposed emphatically of the suggestion made in some quarters that he was resigning on account of recent events in Parliament. The true reason he stated as follows: “I do not believe, as a man who has almost reached 81 years of age, that I am adequately and rightly fit and have the vigor required to carry on day and night the duties that belong to my office. I do noi profess to be a completely worn out man, or either mentally or physically incapable of tackling an y particular task, but 1 am no longer a,s fit as I was some years ago to carry out duties which are of such an onerous, persistent, and exacting sort. It is fot that rca. son alone that I resign my office into younger hands. I think I have done the right thing, for the leadership of the church and tho nation’s affairs should not be in the bunds M men who are too old."

PRIMATE’S FAREWELL SERMON

REVIEW OF HALF A CENTURY’S WORK. CONTROVERSIES TOUCHED MOST SACRED QUESTIONS. CHURCH MORE ZEALOUS THAN FIFTY YEARS AGO. United Preßs Assn, by El. Tel. Copyrieh? (United Service.: (Received Nov. 5, 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 4. In a farewell sermon at Canterbury Cathedral, broadcast throughout Britain, the Archbishop likened himself to Moses standing on Mount' Pisgah looking back through anxious years, but certain that the people he loved and led were destined to see greater things than he shared. Moses marked his people’s pow'er and promise under God’s guiding hand, and accordingly looked forward - hopefully. “To-night.” continued the Archbishop •*T look backward, outward and onward. Ido not think I under-rate the variance within the Church, but some of the variance is the outcome of qager life, yet controversies have touched the most sacred questions. We are all blameaUM. at least I am biameable. God forbid I should belittle the gravity of such a question as the ministration of the Eucharist. The solution of the variance necessitates considerable patience and abundant prayer. Such questions have been raised and solved in England before and will, under God’s hand, Re resolved again. It- would be a graceless, thankless mistake to regard surface differences as the outstanding fact- in the Church to-day. Looking back half a. Jentury I am firmly convinced that the Church is fay stronger and more zealous, and lias a deeper vision of God’s purpose than when my working davs began. Even the Prayer Book discussions have evolved ‘ a more thoughtful spirit, a unity of purpose and prayer.” ■